Race to Dubai hopefuls Rory McIlroy and Danny Willett go into the second round of the US$8 million DP World Tour Championship, Dubai just two shots off the pace after day one saw Ian Poulter, Marcus Fraser, Martin Kaymer and Andy Sullivan tie for the lead with opening rounds of six under par 66.
McIlroy made sure of his four under par 68 with a sumptuous birdie from a green-side bunker on the last, while Willett – seeking his first Race to Dubai crown – matched his playing partner’s 68 with five birdies and a bogey over the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
For McIlroy a birdie on the last was a welcome bonus. “It never really looked like a four,” said the World Number Three. “I hit it into the bunker off the tee, hit a good lay-up shot but then a terrible third. I was thinking it was one of those ones where you just had to get it out and it could trundle its way toward the hole. I knew I could get it close so I was pleased to see it drop in.
“Overall my ball-striking from tee to green has been very good throughout the year and it’s been the putter that held me back. But I felt like I putted well today, so that bodes well for the next three days.”
McIlroy’s playing partner Willett was equally happy to get the first day out of the way in what many are seeing as a being a two-way battle for The Race to Dubai title.
“I’m pleased with the way I got off to a bogey-free start,” said Willett. “The last nine holes were playing quite hard – there was no breeze and it was warm out there. But I played some pretty decent golf and although neither of us played our best four-under will put you right up there.”
With just three shots separating the top 22 players in the 60-man field, competition remains tight with English duo Poulter and Sullivan, Germany’s Kaymer and Fraser of Australia the early leaders.
It was a solid return to form for Kaymer over a course where he lifted the 2010 Race to Dubai title. And despite a long season, the German is relishing the challenge. “It doesn’t really feel like the end of the year because I still feel physically fit,” he said after carding eight birdies in his opening 66. “I’m really looking forward to playing even after playing two or three weeks in a row.
“We all know this is one of my favourite places on Tour – whether it’s Abu Dhabi or Dubai it seems like I do well here and I’ve had great success in the past so for me coming to this part of the world is always a great pleasure.
“I didn’t make many mistakes. I gave myself a lot of chances and I putted really well, so overall it was a very, very good round.”
While Kaymer is in good shape, fellow European Ryder Cup star Poulter – twice a DP World Tour Championship runner-up – enjoyed a blemish-free round thanks to a cortisone injection in his foot.
“I was fed up taking painkillers for an impingement in the ankle joint so I had an injection,” he said. “So while I’m happy, I’m still frustrated as it really could have been a much better round of golf. I know that. But my score is done so let’s look forward to tomorrow. I’ll keep playing the golf that I’m playing, get some treatment from the physio and come out strong tomorrow.”
The two big guns were joined at the top by Fraser and Sullivan with Italy’s Francesco Molinari just one shot adrift of the four co-leaders thanks to an opening five under par 67.
“It was just great fun out there today,” said Sullivan, whose birdie putt on the 18th was roared into the hole by an army of supporters from his home town of Nuneaton.
“Thirty guys from home went nuts when it dropped in. I think every time they’ve come and followed me, they’ve come in droves and that really seemed to help. Every putt that went in, they were really cheering out there. I think it’s a big plus for me to have that on my side.”
For defending champion Henrik Stenson it was day to forget after the Swede shot his worst ever score over the 7,675-yard course – a five over par 77 – to drop to joint last in his quest to make it three wins a row at the DP World Tour Championship.
Elsewhere it was a day of mixed fortunes for the other Race to Dubai contenders. South Africa’s Branden Grace is also just two shots adrift after an opening four under 68, while Korea’s Byeong Hun An and England’s Justin Rose opened with a two under 70 and a one under 71 respectively. Meanwhile Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa carded a one over par 73 with Irishman Shane Lowry struggling to a three over 75.
The DP World Tour Championship – the final event on The Race to Dubai – continues today (Friday Nov 20) with play commencing at 7.40am before Ian Poulter and Marcus Fraser take to the course at 12.40pm.
General admission at Jumeirah Golf Estates is free of charge and can be obtained by registering online at www.DPWorldTourChampionship.com.